Self scoring quiz apparatus



Jan. 7, 1964 L. L. HAVLICEK 'SELF SCORING QUIZ APPARATUS Filed April 1, 1963 V/ ///1|V A.

INVENTOR Lorry L.Havlicek United States Patent Office 3,116,565 Patented Jan. 7, 1964 3,116,565 SELF SCORING QUIZ APPARATUS Larry L. Havlicek, Kansas City, M0. (708 E. 13th, Crete, Nebr.) Filed Apr. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 269,313 4 Claims. (Cl. 35-48) This invention relates to testing apparatus and, more particularly, to a self scoring multiple choice examination apparatus.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a self scoring quiz apparatus which will provide a permanent record of the examinees responses, and provide an immediate indication to the examinee as to the correctness of the response.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a self scoring device of the type described which can be quickly keyed for any multiple choice examination, and can be used repeatedly for a variety of different examinations.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a self scoring quiz apparatus of the type described which is completely mechanical, devoid of complicated construction, and which can be readily used for testing large and small groups of persons in all age groups on a variety of subjects.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of this inveniton will become apparent from a study of the following specifications, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a self scoring device made in accordance with the present invention in actual use;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom plan view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary plan view of certain cam and guide elements forming a part of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing, a self scoring quiz apparatus 10 made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a multi panel assembly having a main panel 12 and a pair of substantially identical center and base panels 14. These panels are supported in the illustrated spaced apart parallel relationship, by any suitable means, such as a frame or spacers, with the panels being severable for adjustment or setting keying elements, in a manner hereinafter more fully described. A test or score sheet of paper 1-8 is slidably receivable within the space 16 between the center and base panels 14, which sheet 18 serves as a permanent record of the examination.

The main panel 12 has a plurality of series of multiple choice selector button assemblies 20 mounted in groups thereupon, as shown in FIGURE 1. For example, five selector button assemblies 20 may be provided for each numbered question, and arranged in vertical rows numbered from 1 to 25, with approximately three such I'OfWS of series on each test apparatus. Thus, the examinee may select any one of the five provided buttons to indicate his choice, by depressing the selected button in a manner hereinafter more fully described.

Each button assembly 20 has operating parts mounted within a bore 22 in the main panel 12. The interior surface of the bore 22 is provided with sets of circumferentially spaced apart cam elements each including a downwardly inclined cam surface 24', a reentrant indent 26, and a vertical groove 28. A cam member 30 is slidably mounted within the lower end of the bore 22 and has three circumferentially spaced apart lugs 32 mounted upon the periphery thereof, each such lug 32 having an inclined upper surface 3d for sliding engagement with the cam surface 24 and indent 26 of each set of cam and guide elements of the bore 22.

A stem 38 is slidably mounted and projects vertically outwardly from the main panel 12, and includes a fluted inner portion 40 having radially outwardly extending ribs 41 slidably received within each of the six vertical grooves 23. The lower extremity of each such rib 41 is provided with an inclined surface 42 which is engageable alternately with the inclined surfaces 34 of the upstanding lugs 32 of the cam member 3t The cam member 30 also has an upstanding central pin 44 receivable within a longitudinal bore of the stem 38, and a lower circular abutment plate 46 overlying the innermost periphery of the bore 22 and in abutment with the top of a multi-pronged punch member 50.

A compression coil spring 52 mounted within the punch member 50, upon the upper surface of the center panel 14, yieldably urges the punch member 5t into abutment with the lower end of the cam member 30. The center and base panels 14 are provided with aligned apertures 54 for receiving the prongs 5d of the punch member therethrough in response to downward movement of the cam member 33 and stem 38. A test paper 18 received within the space 16 between the panels 14, is thus automatically perforated by the punch 56 in response to downward movement of the stem 38.

The push button assemblies provided in this apparatus are somewhat similar to those used with retractable ball point pens, in that the initial depression of the stem 38, will cause the cam member 3%) to depress the punch member 43, so that upon release of the stem 33, the punch Will normally only partly return to its initial position. This action is provided by the cam and grooves hereinbefore described. With the parts in an initial position, as shown in FIGURE 2, the punch 43 is in its elevated position, as is the stem 38. However, by depressing the stem 38, the inclined surfaces 42 of the three alternately spaced ribs 4 1 of the plunger stem 38 will act upon the upper inclined surfaces 44 of the cam member 3%, to simultaneously depress and rotate the cam member 39* to the position shown in FIGURE 6, in which the upper ends of the lugs 32 are received within the three circumferentially spaced apart indents 26 of the bore 22, so that upon release of the stem 38, the cam member 30 and the punch member 48 is restrained in the partially depressed position. Thereafter, in response to a second depression of the stem 38, the lower surfaces 42 of the ribs 41 next acting upon the upper surfaces 34 of the lugs 32, will again partially rotate the cam member 30 to the broken line position shown in FIGURE 6, in which position the lugs 32 will be received within the vertical grooves 28 of the bore 22, whereby the cam member 3a and punch 48 will be returned to its initial position by the springs 52. Thus, normally, the stem 33 and punch member 48 can be moved from its initial position as shown in FIGURE 2 through the cycle and back to the initial position by the two depressions of the stem 38.

However, in order to key the apparatus 10 for visually observing correct answer selections, a slider 60 is slidably mounted within a slot 56 and counterbore 58 of the center panel 14 for reciprocating radial movement relative to the downward path of movement of the base 46 of the cam member 349. In the radially outwardly disposed position, the slider 66 has no effect upon the aforementioned operation of the button assembly. However, in the radially inwardly disposed position, the slider 60 will block the path of movement of the cam member 30, thus stopping the downward movement of the cam member 30 just short of the position in which the lugs 32 3 would be released from the indents 26 and permitted to be received within the grooves 28 of the bore 22. As a result, with the slider 60 in a radially disposed position, the test paper received within the space 16 between the panels 14 would be punched, but the stem 38 would not be permitted to remain in the depressed intermediate position, but would be immediately returned to its fully upwardly extended position shown in FIGURE 2. Thus, by moving all of the sliders 60 :for each series of buttons 20 radially inwardly, except for the button associated with the correct test answer, the examinee will be provided with an immediate indication as to the correctness of his answer, in that only the correct button will have been permitted to be depressed and remain in the intermediate position upon release. Of course, the test paper will have a permanent record of each selection made, but the position of the stem 38 will give an immediate indication as to the correctness of the answer to the examinee.

The base panel 14 is also provided with a slot 56 and counterbore 58, whereby access may be had to the slider 60 through the bottom of the apparatus for keying the apparatus for each test. Also, the panels may be disassembled for keying purposes, if desired. It will thus be recognized that quiz apparatus has been provided which will be completely self scoring simple and convenient to use, and adaptable for all types of test purposes.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such is not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A self scoring quiz apparatus comprising, in combination, a main panel, a base panel, and a center panel mounted in spaced apart parallel relationship, a plurality of series of multiple choice selector buttons retractably carried by said main panel, each of said buttons having a punch normally supported between said main panel and said center panel, said base and center panels having aligned apertures slidably receiving said punch therethrough in response to depression of said respective button to perforate a sheet of paper inserted between said base and center panels, spring means carried by said center panel acting against each said punch yieldably urging said punch toward said normal position, guide means acting between said main panel and each said punch normally retaining said punch in a partially inwardly depressed position following full inward depression of said button and punch against the action of said spring means, and retractable stop means carried by said center panel selectively movable into the path of movement of said punch to block full inward movement of said button and punch to return said punch to said normal position upon release of said button.

2. A self scoring quiz apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein each said button comprises a stem projecting outwardlry from said main panel, and a cam member acting between said stem and said punch.

3. A self scoring quiz apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said spring rneans comprises a compression coil spring carried by said center panel urging said punch against said cam member.

4. Self scoring quiz apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said retractable stop means comprises a slider slidably mounted upon said center .panel for movement radially into and out of the path of vertical movement of said cam member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,842,470 Brownlee Jan. 26, 1932 2,540,363 Wistar Feb. 6, 1951 2,691,831 Jordan Oct. 19, 1954 2,889,634 Bringmann June 9, 1959 2,943,400 Griswold July 5, 1960 

1. A SELF SCORING QUIZ APPARATUS COMPRISING, IN COMBIATION, A MAIN PANEL, A BASE PANEL, AND A CENTER PANEL MOUNTED IN SPACED APART PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP, A PLURALITY OF SERIES OF MULTIPLE CHOICE SELECTOR BUTTONS RETRACTABLY CARRIED BY SAID MAIN PANEL, EACH OF SAID BUTTONS HAVING A PUNCH NORMALLY SUPPORTED BETWEEN SAID MAIN PANEL AND SAID CENTER PANEL, SAID BASE AND CENTER PANELS HAVING ALIGNED APERTURES SLIDABLY RECEIVING SAID PUNCH THERETHROUGH IN RESPONSE TO DEPRESSION OF SAID RESPECTIVE BUTTON TO PERFORATE A SHEET OF PAPER INSERTED BETWEEN SAID BASE AND CENTER PANELS, SPRING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID CENTER PANEL ACTING AGAINST EACH SAID PUNCH YIELDABLY URGING SAID PUNCH TOWARD SAID NORMAL POSITION, GUIDE MEANS ACTING BETWEEN SAID MAIN PANEL AND EACH SAID PUNCH NORMALLY RETAINING SAID PUNCH IN A PARTIALLY INWARDLY DEPRESSED POSITION FOLLOWING FULL INWARD DEPRESSION OF SAID BUTTON AND PUNCH AGAINST THE ACTION OF SAID SPRING MEANS, AND RETRACTABLE STOP MEAN CARRIED CENTER PANEL SELECTIVELY MOVABLE IN THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID PUNCH TO BLOCK FULL INWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID BUTTON AND PUCNH TO RETURN SAID PUNCH TO SAID NORMAL POSITION UPON RELEASE OF SAID BUTTON. 